


Galadriel's Gift

by semaphoredrivethru



Category: Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Bad Elvish, M/M, Snogging, messed up timelines, really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-11
Updated: 2003-12-11
Packaged: 2017-11-03 11:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/380933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/semaphoredrivethru/pseuds/semaphoredrivethru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>An explanation: everyone in the Fellowship got a special gift from Galadriel, except for Aragorn.  Aside from the cloaks and food, that is.  Anyway, it struck me as a bit conspicuous that she would bypass him like that.  And what better gift to give a man who is at odds with his own destiny, than someone who can understand him better than all others?</p>
<p>I tweaked the timeline a bit, so that Frodo and Sam were already on their way to Gondor when Aragorn and the others met up with the Warg Riders on the way to Helm's Deep.  That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.</p>
<p>Written for Saklani for the LoTR Slash Secret Santa 2003</p>
    </blockquote>





	Galadriel's Gift

**Author's Note:**

> An explanation: everyone in the Fellowship got a special gift from Galadriel, except for Aragorn. Aside from the cloaks and food, that is. Anyway, it struck me as a bit conspicuous that she would bypass him like that. And what better gift to give a man who is at odds with his own destiny, than someone who can understand him better than all others?
> 
> I tweaked the timeline a bit, so that Frodo and Sam were already on their way to Gondor when Aragorn and the others met up with the Warg Riders on the way to Helm's Deep. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
> 
> Written for Saklani for the LoTR Slash Secret Santa 2003

_Prologue_

~*~*~

They should not have stayed even that one night.

But each of the eight members of the Fellowship could not resist the pull of a single night of safety.The beautiful Elven sorceress Galadriel had given her word that they would be justified in sleeping with both eyes closed until the dawn streaked the sky, and Legolas, his eyes shining with some unknown emotion had nodded in silent agreement for them all.They had accepted the offer of food, rest, and temporary sanctuary, and each tried in their own way to ignore the sense of guilt that they had so easily been convinced to postpone their quest.

Galadriel, of course, was well aware of this misplaced sense of guilt that united them as surely as their vows.In course of fact, she found it rather amusing to watch the half-hidden expressions that flitted across each Man, Hobbit, Elf, or Dwarf's face as they allowed themselves to breathe deeply without needing to look behind each other's shoulders.Indeed, she even briefly entertained the amusing thought of how she would be able to watch them long past their departure the next day as they continued on this quest that she believed to be ultimately futile.

Then the Ring Bearer had offered her the Ring, and for the briefest of moments she was well and truly tempted.But while she had a fickle heart when it came to lighthearted amusements such as the foolish actions of mortals, Galadriel had often prided herself in being a thousand times stronger of will than any Man.So she had refused the Hobbit's ill-thought out gift, and sent him off to what she would ensure to be a peaceful slumber.

But something continued to bother her, long after the Ring Bearer had left her in peace.She could not quite put her finger on what it was, and so the nameless worry continued to reside in her mind, even as she serenely paced through the moonlight.At length, she came upon the crouched form of the young man who had refused his kingship and denied his destiny to forge his own anonymous path through life.

"You should be asleep," Galadriel said without preamble."I would see you rested before the next part of your journey."

Aragorn sniffed as he tapped the side of his pipe."Sleep does not come easily to a restless mind," he answered quietly."I thought to soothe my thoughts with solitude and silence."

Privately, Galadriel thought that Aragorn kept too much to his own solitude.Even his fabled ill-fated love affair with the daughter of Elrond had allowed him his private loneliness, for a young, beautiful immortal could never truly understand the darkness that grew within someone from the moment he realized he would die.But outwardly, she pretended not to notice the none-too-subtle hint to leave.Instead, she lifted her face to the moonlight, and spoke in a voice so soft that Aragorn found himself straining to hear her despite himself.

"What is it that you desire, above all else?What do you find yourself working towards every moment of every day?"

Silently, thoughtfully, Aragorn took a pull from his pipe, the fragrant smoke curling upwards to form a wispy cloud above his head.He seemed to focus on a point somewhere beyond the moon for a few long moments as he weighed whether or not to tell her.Finally, he sighed in resignation; what could it hurt to tell the sorceress something that any who knew him would know instinctively?

"To live my life without any further regrets," he said."I already have a lifetime's worth as it is."

Galadriel nodded once."Perhaps the greatest regret one can have," she said, "is to live one's life alone."Then she abruptly turned and walked away without another word.From a distance, she watched as Aragorn finished his pipe, and paced off to the pavilion where his comrades slept.Once she was sure he was asleep, Galadriel walked over on silent feet to look over the ragged band that she sheltered.

Even in sleep, they each looked haggard.The loss of Gandalf the Grey had been a hard one to bear, and it seemed to Galadriel that these eight who remained were lost adrift in the winds of Fate without him.The Ring Bearer, Frodo, especially so; he was curled into a tight ball atop his child-sized bed, his face scrunched tightly with misery as his clutched the Ring with his right hand.In fact, the only other who looked to be as miserable was Aragorn, although his was much more subtle; he slept on the bed next to Frodo's, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.His brow was furrowed in sleep, and he appeared every inch the battle-ready warrior.Yet as Galadriel watched, a single tear escaped the corner of Aragorn's eye and traced a shining path down to his hairline.

A pang of sympathy stuck in Galadriel's heart as she stood there, and she found herself coming to a decision.It was a risky choice, she knew, but if it could help these two souls that had more in common than they realized, it would be well worth it.

With a touch as light as Fairy Wings, Galadriel placed a hand each upon Frodo and Aragorn's heads.Her eyes closed, she envisioned two cords of sapphire reaching out and twining together to form a single, thick cord with no beginning or end.Then she began to chant, her soft words spoken in a strange form of the tongue of her Ancients caught and carried away on a sudden yet gentle breeze:

_Heavy hearts with blue eyes,_

_Twined with the dark._

_Be not possessing of lies,_

_And deep within they carry a mark._

_With solitude, they will yield._

_But together victory is nearer._

_Protect as strong as Dwarf warrior,_

_Gifting the other with vision of peace._ *

~*~*~

_Part One_

~*~*~

The water surrounded Aragorn, stealing his breath away on thousands of tiny shards of ice that pushed and pummeled him further and further downstream.He registered a succession of impacts that he knew were from his body bouncing from boulder to boulder, but a strange sort of numbness had overtaken him and Aragorn found he could not muster the will to soften those blows.In fact, when he felt the first splashes of the rapids, he let the water fill his mouth and nose.

And when the spots in his vision expanded to complete blackness, Aragorn embraced it with a feeling akin to gratitude.

~*~*~

"Please, just let us go, and we'll trouble you no more."

Frodo could hear Sam continuing to plead with Faramir, but knew it was useless.The young captain of Gondor had been ensnared by the Ring's spell, and those who knew to look for them could see images of power and glory marching across Faramir's gaze.The Ring would not be denied this chance to be within the easily corruptible hands of Man once more.

"Sam..." Frodo groaned as the soldier carrying him shifted slightly.

"Mister Frodo, you rest now," Sam insisted."You've got to keep up your strength for when they let us go."

>Frodo laughed; a too-bitter sound coming from his innocent, albeit haggard, face."They're never going to let us go, Sam.We have their weapon, their shining beacon of hope in this losing battle of their lost war."

Faramir whirled on Frodo."Silence!" he demanded."Your lies don't fool me, Halfling.I know that you carry the key to our victory."

"I carry the key to victory alright," Frodo said."But it is not your victory that it ensures.Not unless you actually do wish for Sauron to wipe Man from the face of Middle Earth."

If Frodo had been human, the back-handed blow that Faramir dealt him would only have stunned him slightly.However, despite recent events, Frodo was still a Hobbit, and as such he was not built to withstand such handling.When Faramir's gloved hand made contact along the full side of Frodo's face, the Hobbit saw an explosion of stars for the briefest of instants before he gratefully slipped into unconsciousness.

~*~*~

Frodo woke gradually, aware only of warmth and the sound of birds singing.He was not eager to open his eyes and face the harsh reality that his life had become, and so he snuggled deeper into the soft warmth that nestled him.But sleep eluded him, and Frodo became more and more aware of his surroundings.

It was the smell that captivated him, and made him want to give up the pretense of sleep that he still held.He smelled fresh grass and ripening grain, and there was just the faintest undercurrent of blackberries.Blackberries... he hadn't smelled blackberries since leaving the Shire what felt like a lifetime ago.

"Frodo, I know that you are awake," a familiar voice rumbled from immediately behind him.

"Aragorn?" Frodo murmured."If you're here, then I must still be dreaming."

Aragorn chuckled, and Frodo felt the rumble beneath him.Finally, he opened his eyes to the dazzling sunlight, and looked down at the strong arms that cradled him.He craned his neck around, and squinted up at Aragorn, who was silhouetted by the sun.Flushing slightly, Frodo rolled away.

"Where are we?" he asked as he looked around.

Aragorn shrugged, unusually ambivalent."Frankly," he said, "I was hoping you could tell me that."

Frodo looked around once more, this time with a more critical eye.It seemed to be an amalgam of every childhood haven he had ever had; they were against an ancient fallen log that was surrounded by wild grasses that waved gently in the breeze, and in the distance he could see a golden field.Behind them was a vibrant green forest that teemed with birds and rustled with ground faring creatures, and a bit to the right was a stand of blackberry bushes laden with ripe fruits.

It was a paradise in Frodo's eyes, and a jaded part of him \-- a part that few Hobbits had -- recognized that it could not possibly be real.

"A dream," Frodo said."We're in a dream."

Aragorn nodded in agreement."But whose dream is it, I wonder?" he said."It reminds me of somewhere.I just cannot remember where."

Frodo looked at Aragorn from the corner of his eye.The Ranger was more relaxed even than he had been at Rivendale before their quest had begun.His shoulder length brown locks stirred in the breeze, and he his face was turned slightly towards the sun, a half-perplexed smile on his face.A knot of emotion formed in Frodo's chest, and he swiftly turned away when Aragorn looked at him.

Ever since they had parted on the top of that hill, beneath those ancient ruins, Frodo had found his dreams, when not plagued by images of death and destruction, were often graced by the man beside him.They were usually hazy, fevered dreams that left Frodo awake and heated by emotions that he didn't fully understand.In the enforced silence of the days spent lurking along the outskirts of Mordor, he had often found himself thinking of Aragorn in an abstract manner, regretting that they would likely never meet again.

It had hurt Frodo much more than he had shown to leave Aragorn behind. But he had forced himself to do so, knowing that if he were to have given into his selfish desire to keep the handsome and enigmatic Ranger with him, it would have meant the steady destruction of all that was good and pure in Aragorn.So Frodo had gone, not quite realizing at the time that the hollow ache he felt was from the sudden loss of his heart that Aragorn had gained.Soon enough he had come to understand this, though; that was when the dreams began with their bitter sweet mockery that reminded the Hobbit of the special companionship he would never know again, and of the tender touches he would never have at all.

But here they were, in this dream paradise, side by side once more.

Silence stretched between them, but it was a comfortable one.Frodo felt disinclined to break it, even by moving to explore their surroundings.Instead, he contended himself with soaking up the sunlight and luxuriating in the warmth from where his shoulder touched Aragorn's elbow.He looked up at Aragorn again, noting that the perpetual stubble on the man's chin had not changed from as he remembered.

At length, Aragorn looked down at him, a quizzical look on his face.Frodo, embarrassed at being caught staring, flushed and looked away.

"I... I'm glad you're here," he stammered.

Aragorn smiled in response, and slung a companionable arm over the young Hobbit's shoulders.

~*~*~

Part Two

~*~*~

When he had first come aware, Aragorn had felt a fleeting moment of panic.The last he had remembered was fighting the Warg Riders, and then being dragged by the hideous mount of his opponent over the cliff.He remembered hitting the freezing waters, and thinking that it was a rather anti-climactic way of meeting death, drowning in an unnamed river as his friends went off to meet their own unknown fates.

But instead of waking in the afterlife, Aragorn had found himself leaning against a fallen log in the midst of a field, with the least expected armful -- aside from Gimli.Frodo had been curled up in his lap and turned a bit on his side so that one hand was curled around the soft fabric of Aragorn's shirt.Fleetingly, Aragorn had wondered where his leather armor had gone to, but then Frodo had sighed softly and burrowed closer, and the hardened warrior had found himself repressing the urge to brush some of the riot of black curls away from the fine featured face.

_"I would have stayed with you until the end."_

He had meant those words with every fiber of his being, Aragorn knew.His vowed quest aside, he had found Frodo to be singularly fascinating; he held none of the guile of Men, nor the complexities of Elves.Rather, he went through life giving freely rather than taking, and all the while gladly wearing his heart upon his sleeve.It was refreshing for Aragorn to see after all those years of being surrounded by duplicities and intrigue, and he was drawn to the honest joy that the Hobbits found in life itself.The depth of Frodo's self sacrifice and the fierce loyalty he engendered from his friends had drawn Aragorn closer and closer until he finally understood that one could not spend any length of time around such a good and caring being without rapidly coming to care in return.

So, at first, Aragorn had given protection with his sword and then the weight of his name.And then he had gladly given his friendship and trust as well.

He had been aware of the hero-worship bestowed upon him by Frodo, and had even been mildly embarrassed by it at first.But when he had seen through to the honest respect and loyalty that was underlying it all, Aragorn had found he was strangely touched by such intensity of emotion.

And then he realized that Frodo was going to leave him -- leave them all.

Aragorn had been nearly laid low by the unfettered sorrow on Frodo's face as the young Hobbit had looked down at the small golden source of their troubles.At the fear of being alone that he read in his friend's blue eyes, Aragorn had almost pled with him to stay.But he knew that such an action could destroy them all, and so he had released Frodo to his choice, and instead uttered the only thought he could, letting it be known that he had been and would be always willing to give anything for Frodo's quest.

_"I know."_

Frodo's response was spoken softly, yet the weigh of longing filled each word.Aragorn barely suppressed the urge at that moment to pull Frodo into an embrace, as though he could have shared some of his own strength to insure his friend's survival on this suicide mission.

And he might have done so anyway, if the Uruk-Hai had not come upon them at that moment.He had sent Frodo away, knowing that all he could do for the Ring Bearer beyond that last moment of defense was pray.

But then, unexpectedly, in the midst of the maelstrom of events his fate had taken him to, Aragorn found himself within a spot of calm, and with the one being he had doubted he would ever see again.And it made him... happy.

Aragorn turned his face towards the sun, allowing himself a few brief moments of peace before he would continue questioning his situation.He smiled slightly at the fanciful thought that perhaps he had entered the afterlife after all, and that his eternal reward was to be with the brilliant light that was Frodo Baggins.He was aware that he was being stared at, but he took a few moments to marshal his thoughts and emotions before he returned the gaze.

"I... I'm glad you're here."

Aragorn agreed, and he reached around to give Frodo a brief squeeze about his shoulders.His arm fit perfectly around the slight form, and he was suddenly loathe to move away.A feeling that only grew as Frodo moved closer, fitting nicely against Aragorn's side.

Though they were within a dream of sorts, Frodo still looked haggard.Aragorn surmised that all was not well for his friend, and he almost asked what had happened since their parting.Yet he could not bring himself to destroy the look of contentment upon Frodo's face, as he knew would happen if he asked about the quest.

"I thought I had died," Frodo said suddenly, his brow furrowing in alien anxiety.

"As did I," Aragorn replied evenly.

"I thought..." Frodo gave a shuddering sigh."I thought that perhaps the Ring had taken me."

"Never," Aragorn said, and pulled Frodo closer.He just barely resisted the urge to place a kiss atop the soft curls that lifted in the breeze, brushing against his jaw.

"It will soon, though," Frodo insisted."I can feel it pulling me, and I loose a bit more of myself to it every day.I often wonder if I do somehow survive this, what will I be in the end but an empty shell?"

Aragorn realized that Frodo was beginning to cry, and so he did the only thing he could think of; he gathered the young Hobbit up into his arms and settled him into his lap.Frodo curled around himself at first, but as the tears subsided, he relaxed enough to wrap his arms as far as they would go around Aragorn's torso, and he pressed his face into the dampened fabric covering Aragorn's chest.

They stayed like this for several minutes; Frodo releasing all of the pent-up fear he had been festering for some time, and Aragorn gently rubbing his hand up and down Frodo's back.Eventually, he reached around and tilted Frodo's face up towards his.

"You are much stronger than you think," Aragorn said, speaking as his heart dictated."I can see this as plainly as I see you right now.Don't lose faith in yourself when you can draw on mine."

"You still believe in me?" Frodo asked tremulously.His eyes widened slightly, and he leaned back in Aragorn's arms just enough so his eyes wouldn't cross when they looked at each other.

"Of course I do," Aragorn replied, barely stopping from fixing Frodo's hair."Frodo, you have one of the most courageous hearts I have ever had the privilege to know.If there was ever anyone strong enough to carry the Ring, it is you."

"I'm no more special than anyone else," Frodo lamented, his head dropping in defeat."Just unlucky."

"That is where you are wrong."The firmness in Aragorn's voice grabbed Frodo's attention."Most would have given up by now, yet you continue.Your courage and dedication are amazing, and... I admire you."

"You do?" Somehow, Frodo had leaned forward until he could feel Aragorn's breath on his face.

"Yes."The single word was breathed as the gap between them closed, and their lips touched.Aragorn's mouth was strong and firm, yet he gentled at the feel of Frodo's full, soft lips moving beneath him.It was a single moment of tranquility and flames, where the two existed in the center, their emotions swirling and ebbing all at once.And then reality reasserted itself with a vengeance, and Aragorn pulled back abruptly.

"Frodo, I cannot."

Frodo looked up at Aragorn with self-doubt shining in his eyes.Silently, Aragorn cursed himself for hurting a being as wonderful as the one in his arms.Then he gave in to the constant temptation, and brushed at the riot of black curls.Involuntarily, Frodo leaned into the touch, and Aragorn was almost undone by the simple motion of trust.

The young Hobbit had been entrusted to his care, and by his former lover's father no less.True, Aragorn and Arwen had not shared each other's beds for more than a year, but his own lingering emotions as well as hers had kept them dancing around each other and the issue ever since.But still... he had never felt for Arwen what he felt as he looked at Frodo in this moment.

Suddenly, Frodo jerked away from Aragorn's touch, and clambered out of his grasp."I'm sorry," he said, studiously avoiding looking the man in the eye.

"Frodo..."

"This field reminds me of Old Mannius Mustardseed's place," Frodo babbled as he stood."Excepting the forest, of course.Mr. Mustardseed never was much for the trees."

"Frodo..."

"Why, I almost expect to see smoke rising from that hill over there."

This time, Aragorn reached out and captured Frodo's small wrist in his large hand, and pulled him back to the ground, so close their sides were touching."Frodo, will you listen to me?" he asked, exasperated.

Frodo nodded miserably."I am sorry," he repeated.

"Apologizing," Aragorn said, "is not the same as listening."

The Hobbit said nothing, but nodded again as he continued to stare at the ground as though it were the most fascinating bit of dirt in all of Middle Earth.

"You are so special," Aragorn murmured."So very special, and it amazes me that you do not see it."

"Oh, I see it," Frodo interrupted, the bitterness in his voice making Aragorn draw back."I am the Ring Bearer.I alone am the one whose shoulders carry the weight of the future of our world.Special indeed; more a special sacrifice for the future of Man.Though I am not, it would seem, special enough to make you want me as I do you."

"That's not what I was talking about."

"Oh?"The anger left as suddenly as it had come.

"What I was going to say is that you are special to everyone who has ever had the privilege to know you.And that you are more special to me than many others I have known." 

"Then why did you push me away?"

It was a simple, honest question.And while Aragorn longed to tell Frodo the depth of his reasoning, he also knew that it would only serve to confuse him further.So he settled for the truth, if not the entirety of it.

"I was frightened."

Frodo finally looked at him, an eyebrow arched in an excellent impression of Gandalf."You?Frightened?"

Aragorn nodded."Frightened of this --" he waved an encompassing hand at their surroundings "-- and frightened of what I feel."

"I agree that this is a strange situation," Frodo said."The last I knew, Sam and I were under the watch of Boromir's brother, Faramir.He was taking us to Gondor, in hopes of using the Ring as a weapon against their enemies."

Aragorn scowled; that Faramir should so closely follow in his brother's footsteps even without knowing it was troubling indeed.It also did not speak well for the hearts of Men towards Frodo's limited experience.That he still trusted Aragorn spoke volumes.

"But why are you frightened by what you feel?" Frodo continued."I'll admit to be confused myself, but we Hobbits have always found that fearing who we are only makes things unnecessarily complicated.How you feel is how you feel, and nothing aside from a healthy dose of time can change that."

He had to admit that Frodo had a point."But I have not the advantage of your honest bringing up," he countered."Nor have I the peculiar strength of self that seems to be a Hobbit staple."

Frodo frowned; he could not fathom that he and Aragorn could be so fundamentally different. Even Smeagol, beneath the insanity that had gradually faded during their travels, had shown a number of traits that Frodo had always thought of as perfectly natural in all creatures.He believed that -- among other things -- loyalty and honesty with one's self and others, while expressed differently, lay at the core of all.Even if they were well hidden in some.

"Why not tell me?" he asked Aragorn."Then I can tell you if you need to fear yourself."

Aragorn sighed; Frodo was obviously determined to get to the heart of the matter.And he felt strangely compelled to allow it, as though to do otherwise in this place would be a form of sacrilege. 

"When I am with you," he said at last, "I feel as I have never before.I want to say and do things that are outside of who I know myself to be, and even as it frightens me, I like it.You are one of a kind, Frodo Baggins, in many ways."

Hope and confusion warred on Frodo's open face, and Aragorn sought to change the subject while his companion was off guard.

"You and Sam are well?" he asked.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose.With every step we take, it seems we are taken further and further away.We were so close this time," he sighed."But I fear that we may never see the Shire again.I wish that Sam could see this; his heart is just as sore for home as mine."

Aragorn decided he could trust himself to touch Frodo again, so he gave the young Hobbit a one-armed hug.It felt so good to the Ranger, that he left his arm where it laid as he luxuriated in the warmth of contact.Frodo moved his head, and his soft hair tickled along Aragorn's forearm.

"What about you?" he asked softly."And how are Legolas and Gimli?I admit to missing them... nearly as much as I have missed you."He flushed at his own words, but kept his gaze steady on Aragorn.

"We were with some friends, seeing them to safety," he replied."But we were set upon by a band of Orc riders, and I was defeated.I thought I had died, though I begin to doubt it.I can only hope that they survived to continue, and that Gandalf will return in time to help."

"Gandalf!But..."

"He lives," Aragorn assured him with a gentle squeeze."Quite well, in fact."

Frodo sighed in relief."I'm glad."

Silence formed between them once more, and Frodo snuggled even closer to Aragorn. _I have missed you_ , he thought.

"I missed you as well," Aragorn replied before he realized he had not heard the words out loud.Frodo looked up at him sharply.As well he should, Aragorn mused.It had not occurred even to him that he would not be alone in his own mind.Suddenly, a memory rose in his mind, and Aragorn swore under his breath."Galadriel," he whispered."You have outdone yourself this time."

"What is it, Aragorn?"

"I think I understand now," he said."Something that Galadriel said to me about being alone."

"Do you think she has done something?"

"I am mostly certain.In fact, I would not be surprised if all of this was some sort of manifestation of a connection she somehow forged between us.Though why..."

"She probably thought it was best.She seemed to know much more than even Gandalf ever did... does."

"Perhaps," Aragorn mused."Though it would have been nice if she had given us the choice."

Frodo shrugged, accepting that which had already been done. A thought occurred to him, spurred by something Aragorn had said earlier."What were your friends running from?" he asked.

"Sauromon has become greedy as his power grows," Aragorn said."He seeks to conquer all of Middle Earth even before his master can return to full power.My friends were heading to the fortress of Helm's Deep to make a stand against the invading forces of the dark.I had hoped to help them there, but I doubt that even after I wake I will have the strength to be of much use.I was badly wounded in this last skirmish."

Determination flashed in Frodo's eyes."You will be as strong as ever," he vowed, "if I have anything to say of it."

Aragorn chuckled, and brushed more of Frodo's stubborn hair away from those beautiful blue eyes.He meant to withdraw his hand, but the intense look in his companion's eyes stilled him with his fingers still grazing Frodo's cheek.Frodo moved to kneel, and then leaned closer.

"Would you kiss me again, Aragorn?I..."

He did not need to finish the thought, for the Man moved in and granted the request gladly.The electric sensation of mouth to mouth drew a gasp from the Hobbit, and Aragorn instinctively took advantage of the opening.He traced the inside edges of Frodo's lips with his tongue, and their suddenly labored breaths mingled between them.

Frodo moaned softly, and Aragorn responded with a quiet growl as he lifted Frodo to straddle his lap.The increased contact spurred Frodo to action, and he carded his fingers through Aragorn's long brown hair.Aragorn in turn wrapped one arm around Frodo's shoulders, and pressed the other hand against the small of his back, his long fingers curling around the Hobbit's waist.

Gradually, they each registered a sensation not unlike being tugged on the corners of their minds, and they pulled apart reluctantly.

"I fear our time here is about the end," Aragorn mourned.

Frodo nodded, his cheeks flushed and slightly swollen."I wish we could stay here forever," he said.

Aragorn smiled sadly."But we each have our responsibilities to meet.Perhaps when we meet again in the flesh..." he trailed off, realizing that it was unlikely both of them would live to see that happening.He kissed the tip of Frodo's nose to cover the sadness that threatened to overwhelm him; he had only just begun to discover Frodo, and he was did not want to lose this wonderful intimacy.

The tugging increased, and the world around them began to fade until it was just they two, their bodies still entwined.A strangely unreadable emotion flickered across Frodo's face, and before Aragorn could question it, Frodo kissed him once more.This time it was fierce and full of the swirling emotions that Aragorn also felt.

"Be strong," Frodo whispered against his lips, and then he too was gone.

~*~*~

Part Three

~*~*~

Aragorn felt strength coursing through him as he directed the horse towards Helm's Deep.While he mentally phrased the message of doom he carried, he worried about why his injuries did not hinder him as he knew they should.It could have been just a pleasant side effect to his shared vision with Frodo, but he doubted it.

Frodo had been just as kind and determined as Aragorn had remembered, if not even more so.So open and honest in everything he said and did; it was no wonder that Aragorn felt such a tingling warmth at the very thought of the young Hobbit.

Yet at the same time, he felt a lingering suspicion that Frodo had done something very foolish.

He rotated his shoulder, wincing as the wound shifted and was scratched by the rough, wet fabric of his tunic.It stung like the fires of Mordor, but it was not a mortal wound, despite the blood that soaked his arm and side.He should have felt hazy, disconnected from the bleeding; instead, each moment was perfectly crystallized in his view, and he had no trouble finding his way.

_"Be strong."_

The words echoed in his mind, and Aragorn wondered if his beloved Hobbit hadn't done more than just order him to remain steadfast.Frodo, so giving and kind, and unawares of the possible ramifications that an act of generosity could bring, had already proven that their link in that dream world connect their minds.What if he had found a deeper link?

And since what point did Aragorn consider Frodo to be his beloved Hobbit?

He rounded a bend, and before him, nestled safely within the stone embrace of the mountainside, was Helm's Deep.Figures scurried in hurried preparations along the Deepening Wall, and the gate was closed tightly.Aragorn shelved his questions for later as he spurred his horse on, although he was nearly certain that his strength was only borrowed from Frodo's own wellspring.

If that were so, Aragorn decided as he cantered into the safety of the courtyard, he would have to make sure that Frodo's gift was not wasted.And that it would be returned one day soon.

~*~*~

"Frodo?Please wake up, Mister Frodo!"

Frodo groaned as he blinked his eyes open and shut slowly.He longed to return to the meadow with Aragorn.But Sam's insistent voice pulled him to consciousness regardless.

"I'm awake, Sam," he said, and instantly regretted speaking when a sharp pain lanced through his jaw.He lifted a hand, and felt the heat of a large bruise covering the side of his face.

"Thank goodness," Sam breathed."You were out for so long; I was beginning to worry you wouldn't come back to me."

Frodo repressed resentment towards Sam; his friend did not understand how Frodo dreaded returning to his cursed life as the Ring Bearer.Instead, he sat up slowly and looked around at the camp.Faramir's men were just beginning to unpack the necessary goods for the night, and Faramir himself looked on from the fire he was building nearby.Frodo found that he lacked the will to even glare at the man who was the source of his current misery.

He was tired.More tired than ever he had been before, and it took all of the energy Frodo had to try to put up at least a pretense of still being himself.He hadn't known that giving his energy to Aragorn would tire him so, that it would remove so much of the few remaining walls that he had up against the evil power of the Ring.The Ring wanted him to stand up and walk out of the camp, and wait for the Nazgul to find him.

_"You are much stronger than you think."_

Frodo wanted to deny those words, but Aragorn had meant them so sincerely, he couldn't bear to prove the Man wrong.So for Aragorn, he resisted the Ring.He tested the swelling along his jaw, and decided that speaking could be managed.

"Where are we?" he asked wearily.

"On the borders of Gondor," Sam replied."What did you dream?"

"I dreamed of peace, Sam.I dreamed of peace."

~*~*~

Epilogue

~*~*~

Galadriel straightened as the images on the still waters faded into her own reflection.It had taken great physical distress for her gift to be found; the two of them were much more stubborn than she had first thought.

Yet that very stubbornness would likely save many lives, both Human and Elvish, thanks to Frodo's impetuous gift.The despair she had felt surrounding the sundered Fellowship had already begun to lift from their futures, although all remaining seven still danced around personal darkness.Once the coming war was joined, there would be little chance for brightness for anyone, yet the future felt... right for this band of unlikely friends.Much better than it had when she had played host to them in her wood.

Strong arms wound slowly around her waist, and a pair of warm lips pressed to the side of her neck.Galadriel turned just enough to look into the beloved and familiar eyes of her husband.

"You changed their fates," Celeborn accused softly.

"I connected them," she corrected.

"What if they have no wish to be near the other again?This could well destroy them; all of them."

"Or save them.We can but wait and see, and pray that they do not let the precious connection that has aught to do with my magic fade."

He had nothing to respond with, so he merely kissed her neck again.She in turn pulled from his embrace, and led him away to their bed.

And behind them, unheeded, a still and silent pool showed images of a Man and a Hobbit that flickered in uncertainty but remained alit for those who sought such visions.

~~~*~~~

__

_~Fin~_

* * *

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_*English translation from my  godawful Elvish.I originally had this, but thought better of keeping it up: _

Lumna indos o luune hend,

Lia o i loona.

Um uume arya a furu,

Ar nura mi illeni kola da aith.

O eresse, illeni nauva lav.

Naan alye' tuure sa nevin.

Varya ve tulkave nauko mahtar,

Annale i n'at o lear a seere.

_Everything I know about Elvish I learned here: _

http://www.pandymic.com/tools.enel.html?

http://www.dragons-inn.org/Ifreann/Tynntangial/eng_elf.html

_So it's not my fault if the syntax sucks.I had to fake it entirely.=-)_


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